Zifa Committee fails to deliver Hardbody, Tripple B verdict

Hardbody’s appeals case hearing has courted the ire of the busmen.
In the case whose verdict was initially expected on Friday and then moved to Monday but was yet to be availed by late yesterday, Hardbody fear Hogwe’s involvement is in conflict of interest.
The busmen query how a “Zifa disciplinary officer at a regional level could represent a club at the appeals committee” and immediately raised the issue with Zifa on Monday afternoon.
In a letter in our possession, Hardbody said Hogwe’s involvement was in conflict of interest as he was in the disciplinary structures of Zifa.
“We have received allegations that a member of the Tripple B appeals defence team is a member of the disciplinary committee in one of the Division One league regions.
“The member in question is Hogwe who led the Tripple B defence team at the appeals hearing held on Friday 9 December 2011.
“It is our conclusion that this allegation requires urgent and thorough investigation by Zifa management to restore fair play to these proceedings,” read the letter signed by Chikwanda.
Hardbody only discovered the anomaly last Friday when a hearing into DStv’s case against Northern Region champions Harare City over the use of Webster Muronda was heard.
Hogwe was part of the team hearing the case that almost resembles the Hardbody/Tripple B case.
Meanwhile, the Tim Sangarwe chaired Zifa Appeals Committee yesterday once again failed to release the much-awaited verdict on Hardbody’s appeal against the docking of 42 points.
Both Sangarwe and Zifa legal advisor Ralph Maganga were not reachable to shed light on the reasons for the second postponement while Zifa communications manager Nicky Dhlamini Moyo, while acknowledging the verdict was yet to be released, could not give reasons.
Last Friday, the verdict could not be released after one of the committee members lost a brother.
On Monday, Hardbody officials led by club chairman Patrick Chikwanda waited in vain at 53 Livingstone Avenue in Harare from 2pm before returning to Zifa yesterday.
“No one at Zifa seemed to know what was happening and we were told maybe the verdict was still being typed.
“We tried calling the members of the Appeals committee but nothing came through and we were later advised the verdict was not ready,” said Chikwanda.
Tripple B officials were not at Zifa and their mobile phones were not reachable. Only their lawyer Hogwe was reported to be at Zifa.
Hardbody are contesting the docking of the 42 points after being found guilty in 14 counts of using Tatenda Chingarah by the Reginald Chidawanyika chaired Zifa Central Region disciplinary committee.
Chingarah was alleged to have been “irregularly registered” to play for Hardbody in the 2011 season.